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FIG. 1. Cytokeratin filament breakdown in in vitro matured oocytes. A late stage oocyte was stained in whole-mount with a combination of
the antilamin antibody 14a9 and antinuclear pore antibody RLl and immunoperoxidase-conjugated secondary antibody (a). Oocytes were taken
either prior to (Oh) or 4 hr after (4h) exposure to progesterone. Both the nuclear envelope (N) and the cytoplasmic structures stained by the
antinuclear pore antibody RLl (AL) disappear in a global manner. Cytokeratin filament organization could be visualized in cortical whole mount
immunocytochemistry with the monoclonal anticytokeratin antibody lh5. In oocytes cultured in the absence of progesterone (b, c) the
asymmetry of cytokeratin organization is maintained (b-animal hemisphere; c-vegetal hemisphere/oocyte cultured for 6 hr). In progesterone-
treated oocytes (d-g) cytokeratin filament organization breaks down in a clear animal to vegetal direction. At 4 hr after exposure to
progesterone, the cytokeratin filaments in the animal hemisphere (d) have largely disappeared, leaving only some amorphous aggregates of
anticytokeratin reactivity, whereas the cytokeratin filaments in the vegetal hemisphere (e) remain largely intact. By 6 hr after exposure to
progesterone, cytokeratin filament organization has disappeared in both animal (f) and vegetal hemispheres (g). Bar in f marks 10 pm for b-g. |
